Vehicle for children



Nby. 30,1926. 1,609,173

J. C. KRANER VEHICLE FOR CHILDREN Filed Jan. l ,'l926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Nov. 30 1926.

J. C. KRANER VEHICLE FOR CHILDREN Filed Jan. 16, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Nov- 30, 1926.

STATES JACOB C. KRANER, OF PICKERINGTON, OHIO.

VEHICLE FOR CHILDREN.

Application filedJanuary 16, 1928.

The present invention is directed to improvements in hand propelledvehicles for children.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter so constructed that a child occupying the same can withcon'iparative ease propel the vehicle through the medium of a handactuated lever.

' A further object of the invention is to.

provide a vehicle of this type wherein the mechanism for guiding thevehicle is mounted on the hand propelling lever and may be operatedduring the operation of said lever. lVith these and other objects inview, this invention resides in the novel features of construction,formation, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter morefully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,in which Figure 1 is a side elevation.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Figi'ire 1.

Figure 1 is a sectional view on line 4& of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a sectional view on line 55 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a sectional view on line 66 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary top plan view of the lever and its associatedelements.

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view of the handle latch.

Figure 9 is a detail view of the head.

Figure 10 is a side elevation of a modified form.

Figure 11 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 12 is a vertical sectional view through the lever socket member.

Figure 13 is a similar view taken at right angles to Figure 12.

Figure 14 is a detail view of the ball.

Referring to the drawings. 1 designates a frame consisting of spacedside sills 2, the rear ends of which are supported by the axle 3 andupon which are mounted wheels 1-, said axle having a sprocket wheel 5fixed thereto.

A platform 6 is engaged between the side sills 2 and supported therebyand it is upon this platform that the child stands when operating thevehicle.

The forward ends of the sills 2 terminate in upwardly and forwardlyinclined bars 7 between which is secured the rear end of the Serial No.81,711.

block 8, said block having a longitudinal slot 9 formed therein.

Having their rear ends fixed to the cross brace 10 carried by the bars 7are the rear ends of the downwardly curved brackets 11, the forward endsof which are secured to forward end of the block 8. there being adriving shaft-12 journaled in the brackets and to which is fixed thesprocket wheel 13, the ends of said shaft being provided with cranks1 1. A sprocket chain 15 is trained around the sprocket wheels 5 and 13.

The forward ends of the brackets 11 terminate in vertically disposedforwardly bowed arms 16, the upper ends of which being provided withbearings 17. Disposed between the bearings 17 is a collar 18 havingtrunnions 19 adapted to engage said bearmgs.

The hand operated power lever 20 has its forward end forked the arms 21of which being pivotally engaged with the respective trunnions 19.

Journaled in the forward end of the block 8 is the steering rod 22, thelower end of which is provided with a steering wheel 23, while the upperend thereof is journaled in the collar 18. Diametrically disposedpintles 2-1 are carried by theupper end of the rod 22 and to which aresuitably connected the forward ends of the guiding links 25, the rearends of which being suitably connected with the cross handle 26. Thishandle is pivotally mounted upon the head 27 carried by the rear end ofthe lever 20, there being a notch 28 in the head for engagement with thelatch bar 29 pivotally mounted upon said handle In this manner thehandle 26 can be interlocked with the lever 20 to hold the guiding linksinactive when it is not desired to rotate the rod 22, but it will be ofcourse understood that when it is desired to steer the vehicle the latchbar is released from the notch 28 to permit the handle 26 to be turned.

Having its upper ends pivotally connected. to the lever 20 is a pitman30, the lower end of which being provided with furcations 31 forpivotally engaging the cranks 14. It will beobvious that upon rockingthe lever 20 the pitman will be actuated to impart rotary movement tothe sprocket wheel 13, thus causing the sprocket chain 15 to transmitrotary motion to the rear axle ,3.

If desired arms 32 may be mounted upon the rod 22 and to which the outerends of iii) of which be fixed to the brackets ll, said to hold thevehicle in a procket chain runs over the platform a sheet metal guard 33is "e'mployed to cover the same so that a child can lull-(l upon saidplatform with safety.

In the modified form of the invention, as shown in. Figures 10 to 14inclusive, the frame is provided with a rear crank axle 35 to which isconnected the 'pitman 36, the forward end of which is provided with asocket 236. The forward part of the frame supports a block and pivotallyconnected to the forward end of which is the steering rod 38 and wheel39. A clip 40 is secured to the rear end of the block 37 and supports arod 41 provided with a ball 42. The hand power lever 43 consists ofupper and lower sections 44 and 45, respectively, the adjacent ends ofwhich are clamped between the plates 4L6 of the complementary members L7forming a socket 4:8 for receiving the ball 42. The members 48 areprovided with lateral arms 49 and to which are securedthe rear ends ofthe guiding links 50.

The lower end of the section is provided with a ball adapted to engagein the socket 36. In this manner the hand lever can be oscillatedthrough the medium of the cross handle 51 to actuate the liiiksz toguide the vehicle or can be rocked back and forth to actuate the pitmanto "rotate the rear axle Thus it will be seen that in both forms of myinvention the hand lovers can be operated to simultaneously drive andsteer the vehicles.

The upper plates 46 are provided with cars 52 for pivotally supportingthe bellcrank lever 53, the lower end of which being adapted to engagethe groove 5% of the ball 42 to normally hold the lever 48 againstrotation. A link 55 has its lower end connected to the lever 53 and itsupper end connected to the handle 51 in any suitable manner. Uponshifting the link the bell crank can be operated to disengage the groove4-3 to permit the lever to be turned in .orderto guide the vehicle.

What is claimed is:

l. A vehicle of the class described, comprising a frame, rear drivingwheels associated with the frame, a steering rod connected with theframe and having a wheel thereon, bearings carried by the frame, acollar supported between the bearings, said s'teerin, g rod beingjournaled in the collar, ahand actuated lever pivotally connected withthe collar, a handle pivotally mounted on the lever, links connectingthe handle and steering rod to rotate the same upon rotation of thehandle, and means associated with the lever for driving the rear wheels.

2. A vehicle of the class described, comprising a frame, rear drivingwheels for the frame, a block associated with the frame, bracketssupported by the block and frame, a

sprocket wheel supported by the brackets and having driving connectionwith said wheels, a steering rod journaled in the block, said bracketshaving arms provided with bearings, a collar having trunnions forengaging the bearings, the steering rod having its upper end providedwith p'intles, a hand actuated lever pivotally connected to thetrunnions, a handle pivotally interlocked with said lever, linksconnecting the handle and pi'ntles, and a pitman operable by the leverfor driving" the sprocket wheel.

3. A vehicle of the class described, comprising a wheeled supportedframe, a hand operated lever for propelling the vehicle, a handlecarried by the lever, links operable by the handle for steering thevehicle, and means for normally interlockingthe handle and lever, as andfor the purpose set forth.

Intestimony whereof I my signature.

JACOB C. KRANER.

